Wall structure and improved clip for attaching boards to trussed studs



March 20, 1962 N. NELSSON WALL STRUCTURE AND IMPROVED CLIP FOR ATTACHING BOARDS TO TRUSSED STUDS Filed June 9, 1954 wkwwwg United States Patent Illinois Filed June 9, 1954, Ser. No. 435,395 3 Claims. (Cl. 50313) The present invention relates to an improved wall structure and clips particularly adapted for the attachment of plasterboards or the like to metallic supports, for example trussed studs.

it will readily 'be recognized that the attachment of plasterboards over which it is intended to apply plaster, can be attached only with considerable difliculty to metallic studs and particularly the type of studs known as a trussed stud, which consists of pairs of wires forming longitudinal chords which are connected to each other by obliquely running webs so as to give the stud the desired depth. For instance, studs are known in which each pair of wires is connected to webs which are alternately attached at opposite sides preferably lying between the two upright wires and being spot welded or otherwise secured thereto.

Of course, angles may also be used instead of the wire, but in the present connection the invention Will be described primarily with the use of the type of stud having upright wires and diagonal webs.

it is one of the objects of the present invention to provide improved attaching means in the form of clips which will allow for certain inherent variations in the thickness of plasterboards and similar panels so that such differences will automatically be compensated for during the application of the boards to the supporting members.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide resilient and clamp-like engagement of the plasterboards to the stud members.

Various other objects will become apparent from a further description hereinbelow when considered in connection with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a rear elevation, substantially at full scale, of one of the clips of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view;

FIG. 4 is a view quite similar to FIG. 2, but showing a variation in the angular relationship of certain parts of the clip relative to each other;

FIG. 5 shows, in side elevation, and partially in section, a portion of one side of a wall constructed in accordance with the present invention, primarily to illustrate the operation of the clip when it is applied to its intended use; and

FIG. 6 is a cross-section through FIG. 5.

The clip is formed of a single piece of wire, for example 12 gauge galvanized steel wire, this having been found particularly suitable for use in attaching gypsum core plasterboard 16 wide and about 48" long to wire studs, and then used as a plaster base for the application of plaster to provide the finished wall.

In describing the clip in detail, the description will begin with the central or middle portion of the clip and the terms forward or rearward are intended to apply to the clip when it is in use.

Therefore, FIG. l can be considered as a rear elevation of the clip.

As shown in FIG. 1, the clip has a substantially straight horizontal central rear portion 6 from both ends 7 of which extend forwardly directed reaches 8 which are looped back against themselves at about the point 9 and then each terminates in ear-like loops 10 which have an i cc outside portion 11, and inside portions 12 and 13, the portion 13 terminating in the ends 14 of the loop. The left hand side of the loop shown in FIG. 1 bears similar numeral markings each provided with the letter a so as to enable a better diiferentiation to be made when referring to the various parts of the clip.

Inasmuch as most plasterboard is provided with paper covered edges which are more or less rounded, it is preferred to make the clip so that the curvature between the parts 8 and 12 or 8a and 12aare on a radius which corresponds substantially to the radius of curvature on the edge of the board so that the board will actually be seated therein. However, particularly as shown in FIG. 4, the actual angles between the portion 8 and the portion 12, that is to say, defining it by the angle of the planes in which the respective parts lie, may be anywhere from 15 to as much as 45. This however does not necessarily mean a change in the radius of curvature of the part 9 or 9a.

It is quite important that the outside portions 11 and 11a of the wings 10 and 10a be backwardly inclined toward the portion 6, so that they may resiliently bear against the plasterboards. As particularly well shown in FIG. 3, which shows the planes in which the various parts lie, considering these planes as being substantially tangent to the wings, such as plane A, tangent to the sides 11 and 11a of the wings 10 and 10a, and considering a plane B which represents the plane of contact of the wings with the boards when the clip is in the stressed condition, it will be seen that these planes intersect at an angle of from about 6 to about 15. The plane B is forwardly displaced from, but parallel to, a plane C passing in securing panels, such as plasterboards 23 and 24 to the studs, this is accomplished as follows: The lower board 23 is laid against the chords 17 and 17a, whileone of the clips of the present invention is applied by first passing the clip around said chords so that the rear honzonal portion 6 of the clip will lie within the stud and behind the chords, while the rest of the clip extends forwardly outside of the stud. The clip is then pushed down so that the curved portions 9 and 9a will encompass the edge 25 of the board 23 while the wings 10 and 10a will overlie the frontal surface of the boards. This will bring the outer portions 11 and 11a. of the two wings into resilient contact with the outer surfaces of the boards. By reason ofthe backwardly bent construction of the wings, as already described, the top portion of the board will be resiliently clamped against the stud 16, while the upper portions of the wings of the clip extend upwardly. The second board 24 is then placed into position in the space between the upper portions of the wings 10 and 100, so that the next board is likewise held, at the bottom thereof, resiliently against the stud 16. A similar clip is then slipped over the upper side of board 24 (not shown); and the applicatiton of the boards is thus continued until the full height of the wall or partition has been reached. It will be self-evident that similar boards may be applied against the other side of the stud, as against chords18 and 18a, so as to form a wall; but the construction is exactly the same on both sides.

The above mentioned proportions and angular relation-- ship of the various parts of the clip are highly critical and form an important part of this invention.

The distance between planes passing through the parts 11- and 11a and the portion 6 when the clip is in the unstressed condition should be slightly less than the combined thickness of the boards and chords of the stud so that resilient engagement is assured. The clips are selfadjusting between the entire range of the thickness variations frequently found in gypsum board construction. Thus by means of the angular relation of the wings with respect to the boards in position, a wide variation in board thickness can be had without interfering with the proper engagement of the clips. If the wings were disposed exactly parallel to the board surfaces without this angular relationship, then there would be only one dimension of the total thicknesses of the wires and boards permitting the clips to fit properly. If this thickness is too great the clips will be either incapable of insertion or difficult to apply. If the thickness is too little, the clips will be loose and may fall off; With the proper angular relation the wings automatically spring to the proper position, thus greatly facilitating the insertion of the clips and boards and assuring that they are not loose as the spring-like engagement constantly forces the boards against the studs.

FIGURE 6 shows the wings engaging both of the adjo'ining boards 23 and 24 on both sides of the chord of the stud. The clip is inserted around the chord of the stud and preferably over the top edge of the lower board so that the horizontal portion extends downwardly. When the surface is plastered or otherwise covered, such as by another layer of wallboard glued thereto, the clips are hidden and held tightly in place. The boards are attached inthis manner to a plurality of studs placed in spaced coplanar and in line relation. The ends of the boards'are secured to each other by clips which engage these ends and the adjacent board and thereby attach them all together.

Clips made following this invention will be found to be simple and easy to make from wire, and of low cost. They can conveniently be carried by the applicator, are easy to insert, and form an effective attachment of the board to a support while at the same time automatically adjusting for board thickness variations.

It will be self evident that the web portions 19- of the studs can be omitted and the boards secured merely to upright wires or rods such as 17 and 17a, or a single upright rod, without departing from the general principles of the present invention.

While the same has been shown in connection with vertically positioned studs and boards, it will be obvious that the construction is equally applicable to the building of ceilings, using either horizontal studs or supporting members or inclined ones, as would be the rafters of a roof.

The manner of securing the metallic studs is no part of the present invention, as means for erecting and securing them are fully understood in the building construction arts.

The present invention thus makes it possible to construct in a very rapid and secure manner substantially non-combustible wall and partition structures, and in fact, if the boards 23 and 24 are made of completely incombustible material, such, for example, as asbestos-cement boards, a highly fire resistant structure can be made.

As shown, particularly in FIG. 4, the angular relationship between the planes in which the parts 8 and 8a lie and the plane in which the portions 12 and 12a lie, may be varied anywhere between about 15 and about 45, but for most purposes, it is preferred to have this angle about 30 to 35, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5. Any angular variation will necessitate a slight modification in the radius of curvature of the clips at the peaks 9 and 9a, for it is important, for a clip made to accommodate a certain type of stud and a certain thickness of plasterboard or wallboard, that the distance between the parts 12 or 12a and the horizontal portion 6 of the clip remain substantially the same. It will, of course, vary when thicker or larger studs and thicker wallboards are used, but the angular relationships should remain on the same order. The particular advantage of having the portions 8 and 8a inclined is to give the clip even at these points a definite resiliency which allows for the slight variations in the thickness of the chords of studs of a given size and plaster or wallboards of a given thickness, as such differences are commonly encountered in manufacturing such articles. By designing the particular clip to be used with a certain size of parts, it is advantageous to keep the distance between the horizontal portion 6 of the clip and the parts 12 and 12a as nearly constant as possible. The additional resilience attained by having the wing portions 11 and 11a closer to the horizontal part 6 gives the aforementioned resiliency to the forward parts of the clip which, in use, overlie the frontal sur'- faces of the boards. By having the parts 8 and 8a extending, say, downwardly, as shown in FIG. 5, and hav ing the peaks 9 and 9a curved to conform substantially to the curved edge portions of the plaster hoard, assures a perfect and secure connection between the boards and the studs, as the inclined portions help to guide the board into place.

It is recognized that many prior art structures are known in which boards have been secured to studs, but these have always been, by means of complicated clips, shaped from metal which has been cut out and shaped, but applicant is not aware of any clips which are formed from a single wire which has been bent and formed into a clip such as that illustrated and claimed, or which would be capable of performing the manifold functions of the present clip, such as first helping to secure a lower board by the clamping action between the lower portions of the wings 10 and 10a and the straight horizontal rear portions 6 of the clip, thus keeping the board in place until the next board is inserted; the ability likewise to hold the lower portion of the next board until the latter is also secured by a clip higher up on the wall; and by the resilient urging of both of the boards (i.e. upper and lower) against the studs, thus providing a safe and solid construction over which plaster or boards may be applied with the assurance that a smooth, substantially crackproof wall may be obtained.

The clips, by their comparative simplicity, but special construction, furnish an inexpensive but very serviceable means for attaching boards, such as plasterboards to metallic studs and the like. While in their total overall effect they perform the same ultimate results as do clips and supports of the previously known types of construction, they do so in a much more efiicient and facile manner.

Applicant claims:

1. A bent-wire clip for use in resiliently securing a pair of wallboard panels arranged in substantially abutting edge-to-edge relation to one side of a stud; said clip comprising a center bight portion having an elongated intermediate segment and a pair of elongated leg segments extending angularly from opposite ends of said intermediate segment, said bight portion being adapted to be in straddling relation with the stud whereby the terminal portions of said intermediate segment are adapted to be in substantial contact with the stud, said leg segments adapted to be disposed within a joint formed between the abutting panels when said clip is in assembled relation with the stud and panels, and a pair of angularly disposed wing portions extending laterally in opposite directions from the terminals of said leg segments, each wing portion defining an elongated loop for resiliently engaging corresponding portions of the panels adjacent the joint, each wing portion having an elongated outer section and an inner section, the latter being integral with and connected to the terminal of a leg segment, the axis of the leg segment and the axis of the integrally connected inner section being disposed at an acute angle from approximately 15 to 45, the outer section of each wing portion, when in an unstressed condition, being disposed in closer proximity to a plane substantially parallel to said outer section and extending through the terminal portions of said bight portion intermediate segment than the inner section of said wing portion; the distance between said plane and the outer section of each wing portion being less than the linear distance from the surface of the panel to be engaged by the clip and the portion of the stud contacted by said bight portion intermediate segment.

2. A bent-wire clip for use in resiliently securing a pair of wallboard panels arranged in substantially abutting edge-to-edge relation to one side of a stud; said clip comprising a center bight portion having an elongated intermediate segment and a pair of leg segments extending divergently from opposite ends of said intermediate segment, said bight portion being adapted to be in straddling relation with a portion of the stud whereby said intermediate segment is adapted to be in substantial contact throughout its length with the latter, said bight portion having said leg segments adapted to be disposed within a joint formed between the abutting panel when said clip is in assembled relation with the stud and panels, and a pair of angularly disposed wing portions extending laterally and transversely in opposite directions from the terminals of said leg segments; each wing portion being in the form of an elongated closed loop for resiliently engaging corresponding portions of the panels adjacent the joint, each wing portion having an elongated outer section and an inner section, the latter being integral with the terminal of a leg segment and disposed relative to said leg segment at an acute angle from approximately 15 to 45 the connection between said inner section and said leg segment terminal being of arcuate configuration adapted to conform substantially to the configuration of the abutting edge of one of said panels; the plane formed by the outer and inner sections of a wing portion being disposed at an angle from approximately 6 to 15 to a second plane extending through the outer sections of said wing portions, the outer section of each wing portion, when in unstressed condition, being in closer proximity to a third plane parallel to said second plane and extending through the terminal portions of said bight portion intermediate segment than the inner section of each wing portion; the distance between said third plane and the outer section of each wing portion being less than the resultant dimension of the thickness of the panel to be engaged by the clip and the dimension of the portion of the stud to be straddled by the clip taken normal to the exposed surface of the panel.

3. A building construction comprising a stud, a pair of wallboard panels arranged in substantially abutting edge-to-edge relation, and a bent-wire clip resiliently securing said panels to one side of said stud; said clip including a center bight portion having an elongated intermediate segment and a pair of leg segments extending divergently from opposite ends of said intermediate segment, the terminal end portions of said leg segments being disposed within a joint between the panels, said bight portion being in straddling relation with said stud and said intermediate segment being in substantial contact throughout its length with a side of said stud, and a pair of wing portions extending angularly and laterally out wardly from the terminals of said leg segments and contacting the exposed surface of said panels; each wing portion being in the form of an elongated closed loop extending transversely of the panel joint and having an elongated outer section and an elongated inner section, the latter being connected to the terminal of a leg segment, the axis of the leg segment and the axis of the integrally connected inner section being disposed at an acute angle from approximately 15 to 45, the connection between said inner section and said leg segment terminal being of a configuration conforming substantially to the configuration of the abut-ting edge of one of said panels forming the joint, the elongated axes of said wing portions being substantially transversely disposed with respect to the direction of the joint between said panels, the opposite end sections of each wing portion cooperating with said stud and-leg segment to form oppositely disposed open end pockets in which are resiliently accommodated the abutting edge portions of said panels, each wing portion, when said clip is in an unstressed condition, having the axes of said wing portion outer sections disposed closer to the elongated axis of said bight portion intermediate segment than the axes of said wing portion inner sections, whereby the distance between the elongated axis of said bight portion intermediate segment and the axis of the outer section of each wing portion is less than the resultant dimension of the thickness of the panel engaged by said wing portion and the dimension of said stud straddled by said clip taken normal to the exposed surface of said panel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,057,431 Jackson Apr. 1, 1913 1,527,618 Wright et al Feb. 24, 1925 1,962,452 Martin June 12, 1934 2,307,899 Olsen Jan. 12, 1943 2,620,531 Chandler Dec. 9, 1952 2,641,035 Nelsson June 9, 1953 

